Letter: Council needs to listen to the people

On the eve of July 4, 2013, a group of concerned citizens met at Glendale Central Library because Glendale City Council was planning to raise the electric rates of the people without their consent.

On Aug. 6, 2013, our City Council, without the expressed approval of the people, raised our electric rates 29.1% over the next five years, because our politicians since 2000 depleted approximately $250 million from Glendale Water & Power and decided to use that money for nonutility usage.

Today, practically nothing is left in our utility company. Why did we need another electric rate increase and another $60-million bond obligation? Why did we transfer the $250 million to the General Fund to pay for the bloated unfunded and unsustainable salaries and pensions of the city union workforce? The concerned people formed the Glendale Coalition for Better Government and in February reluctantly filed a lawsuit against the city of Glendale.

Earlier this year, another group of concerned citizens formed the Tax Limitation Committee. These citizens are currently circulating a petition throughout the city to repeal the city’s 7% Utility Users Tax on water, electricity, natural gas, phone and cellphones. These citizens are upset because the utility tax is being transferred to the General Fund for nonutility usage.

When our elected officials do not want to listen to the people, but are beholden to the city unions as well as large developers, then a citizens’ revolt is a natural reaction.